1. Field of Invention:
The present invention relates to wireless communication, and in particular, to configuring wireless communication in apparatuses based on sensed spectrum information.
2. Background:
Wireless communication is becoming prevalent in all aspects of modern society. The ability to communicate wirelessly has not only been implemented in obvious situations like mobile handsets, but has also made in-roads into scenarios that previously lacked any support for electronic communication, let alone wireless communication. Moreover, it is now possible for some wireless-enabled apparatuses to communicate using two or more wireless transports that are capable of being active at the same time. Being able to support multiple concurrent wireless signal streams from a single apparatus would, as a result, increase the already substantial number of wireless signal sources that may potentially be active at the same time to exponential levels.
The operation of so many signal sources may become problematic when confined to certain environments. For example, long-range wireless communication (e.g., cellular) may occur within frequencies that are licensed to specific service providers. While some burden due to overhead (e.g., cost and regulations) is inherent in these systems, the fact that these specific service providers more or less “own” the bandwidth means that they are able to effectively manage potential overload situations caused by heavy signal activity. Alternatively, apparatuses may also employ short-range wireless communication that operates in unregulated bandwidth. Operation in unregulated bandwidth may be attractive for many reasons. The power, speed and capacity characteristics of short-range wireless transports may make them more appropriate for many applications without the long-range overhead. However these beneficial characteristics may also make maintaining a minimum acceptable level of quality of service (QoS) difficult.
Unlicensed bandwidth may include many sources of signal activity. For example, where bandwidth is being reallocated from a more traditional use, such as in the case of proposed TV-band operations, some legacy wireless transmissions (e.g., television-related broadcasting) may continue to occur, and these legacy communications may be assigned a higher priority than any of the apparatuses utilizing the bandwidth as unregulated free space. In addition, electronic and electromechanical apparatuses such as large motors, high-power equipment, etc. may create interference signals in the same or nearby frequencies that may also impede wireless interaction. Adding to these existing signal sources a substantial amount of apparatuses that are attempting to utilize this same bandwidth in support of various short-range wireless interactions may result in interference, retransmission and the negation of any benefits from using unlicensed bandwidth.